Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier interviewed President Obama today. It wasn’t what you’d call a friendly encounter. Baier, concerned that the president was filibustering, repeatedly interrupted the chief executive. Obama quickly grew frustrated. Before long, the look on his face suggested he was wondering why he agreed to the interview in the first place.
Obama stuck to his talking points. He emphasized the social benefits of reform — everyone would have to have health insurance, no one would be denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, insurance companies couldn’t drop you from the rolls when you got sick. That’s the ice cream. What tripped Obama up was the spinach. He found it hard to defend special deals like the Cornhusker Kickback, Gator Aid, and Louisiana Purchase. He gave a rambling and evasive answer when Baier asked why the bill double-counts Medicare “savings.” He said health care reform would pass because “it’s the right thing to do.” Guess that settles it, then.
I’ll leave you with this great quote from David Brooks:
And the rest of us get stuck with the bill.
